“Yes, Your Honor,” Sack Glover said, his high-pitched drawl causing Helen to involuntarily grit her teeth. She peered at the prosecution table and saw that Sheriff Hank Springfield and Chief Deputy Frannie Storm made out the rest of the prosecution team. Helen was surprised to see no sign of Gloria Sanchez, who’d always been her top assistant and easily the best assistant prosecutor on the roster.

Sack probably thinks her loyalty to me will get in the way of her job, Helen thought.

“Yes, Your Honor,” Bo said, his baritone voice projecting loud and clear as he stood and buttoned his jacket.

“Very well,” the judge said, standing and looking past the parties to the gallery. “I see that there are quite a few members of the press and also some spectators here this morning.” Helen followed Her Honor’s gaze and noticed that almost every space was occupied on the lower level of the courtroom and that there were a few folks up in the balcony. “Please be reminded,” Connelly continued, “that there are to be no pictures taken during this preliminary hearing. And if I hear a phone ring, buzz, vibrate, or make any noise whatsoever, I’m going to have Sundance confiscate it and throw the owner in jail for contempt of court.” She paused. “I hope I’ve made myself clear.”

After allowing several seconds of silence as she continued to glare around the room, Judge Connelly looked at the prosecution table. “General Glover, please proceed.”

For the next seven hours, Sack Glover rolled out the state’s evidence against Helen Lewis. As Bo watched and took notes, he couldn’t help but be reminded of Sack’s warning on the sidewalk outside his office that the evidence against the General was “overwhelming.”

It was.

Based on the shell casings found on the floor of the home and the bullet fragments lodged in the victim’s chest cavity, County Coroner Melvin Ragland opined that the cause of Butch Renfroe’s death was two gunshots from a .44 Magnum revolver, one in the head and one in the sternum. Ragland further testified that, based on the temperature of the body and the degree of rigor mortis, the approximate time of the victim’s death was between 9:00 p.m. on April 1, 2015, and midnight on April 2. Ragland also testified that Butch Renfroe’s face, shoulders, and chest had numerous red-and-purple bruises, which Ragland opined had come from the revolver. Ragland said he couldn’t give an opinion whether the wounds were made before or after the victim was shot.

Sheriff Springfield then testified that, based on his department’s search of the defendant’s home, vehicle, and office as well as his own personal knowledge, General Lewis owned a .44 Magnum revolver but that said weapon hadn’t been located. Moreover, no revolver of any kind was found at the victim’s home. The only guns owned by Butch Renfroe were a shotgun and a couple of rifles.